Guide to Marvel at Disney | Avengers, Assemble!

If you’ve visited this blog before, you know how much we love Marvel around here! And if you are new here: spoiler alert- we L-O-V-E Marvel and the Marvel movies. When we head to Disney, we’re looking for all the Marvel ops we can find. If that sounds like you, then settle in and check out this guide to all the Marvel at Disney Parks!

Guide to Marvel at Disney | Avengers, Assemble!

One of my most exciting and “pinch me is this real?” experiences was walking the Thor: Ragnarok red carpet and interviewing the stars of the movie at the press event.

For this superhero Marvel movie-loving girl, it was THOR-tastic!

A close second to meeting my favorite Hollywood stars is chatting up their “friends” at a Disney Park.

I’m not kidding- I may be a grown 40 something woman, but I will stand in line to take pictures with Cap, Thor, Loki, or Black Panther every single time I enter Disneyland.

I mean, look at that smile! I was in heaven- or Asgard- same, same, amirite?

If this sounds like you- or your kiddos- then here’s where you can find all the Marvel in Disney Parks!

Why doesn’t Disney World have Marvel Characters?

Let’s get this out of the way first, because it’s a great question.

WHY doesn’t Disney World have a big Marvel presence when Disney owns the rights to the franchise?

Short answer: it’s complicated. But it involves a certain theme park down the road (hint: Universal Orlando) and the use of some of the Marvel branded characters there.

Super Hero Island at Universal Orlando Islands of Adventure.

Universal Orlando already had a Marvel presence in the parks on the east coast. The agreement stipulated that as long as the characters used at Universal were alive and well there, Disney could have not have located in a park east of the Mississippi River.

This means no Avengers, no Spider-Man. And no “family members” of the Avengers present at Universal can be found at Disney World.

So even though Black Panther is not located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure, he also cannot come to visit guests at Disney World. #WhompWhomp

Why Does Disneyland Have Marvel Characters?

Because it’s the better park, naturally! Just kidding- just kidding.

Again with legal reasons and also that they kinda lucked out.

Since Universal did NOT use the characters in it’s Hollywood location, the characters are free from legal hindrances and can roam Disney’s California Adventure.

And that’s why you have Marvel characters at Disneyland and not at Walt Disney World.

Which Disney Parks have Marvel?

Soon, every park will have a Marvel presence- and I cannot wait to see everything Marvel coming to the Disney Parks around the world!

Everything Marvel at Disney World

Now, just because there are some legal tie-ups, that doesn’t mean that Disney World doesn’t have some Marvel options.

And more are coming soon- and I cannot wait!

Does Disney World have Marvel Attractions?

Not just yet! The Disney World Marvel attraction that is coming won’t be open until 2021.

Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster (official name not yet announced) promises to be one of the longest indoor coasters in the world!

Does Disney World sell Marvel stuff?

Of course, it does!

You can find Magic Bands (I own a Thor one myself!), hats, shirts, mugs, dancing Baby Groot and more.

While you will find items for sale inside the parks, I always make a stop at the Super Hero Headquarters in Disney Springs.

It’s my most favorite place in all of Disney Springs- and it’s loaded with all things Marvel!

Everything Marvel at Disneyland

I’ll admit I have a slight bias. I do love me some west coast Disney Parks!

It does not hurt at all that Marvel is allowed to be featured in the parks much more over here, and that definitely helps fuel my efforts to trek to the west coast at least once a year!

There was a whole summer of heroes at Disney’s California Adventure in 2017! Photo: Leslie Harvey w/ http://tripswithtykes.com

Disneyland Marvel Character Meet and Greets

You can meet a ton of the Marvel characters at Disneyland.

The schedule does change, but here is a list of who I have seen in the parks.

Captain America

Spider-Man

Black Widow

Hawkeye

Thor

Star-Lord and Gamora

Black Panther and the Dora Milaje

Doctor Strange

Loki

Groot

And Coming This Week: CAPTAIN MARVEL

Are you feeling me yet? Do you see why I think heading to Disneyland as a Marvel fan is important?

So many Marvel character meet and greet options! I can really get my geek on when I’m there.

Disneyland Marvel Attractions

Currently, there is only one Marvel attraction at Disney’s California Adventure- but it’s awesome.

If you love the Guardians of the Galaxy and the famous Mixed Tapes, then you will LOVE this ride.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout has become my #1 Disney attraction.

You can keep your Pandora banshees: give me Rocket Racoon and his playlist and I’ll ride all day!

One doesn’t sound like enough when you consider how many Marvel Movies there are out there right now, right? (And if you need to catch up on your Marvel Movie Marathon, check out that list right there!)

Right.

The great news is that even more Marvel is coming to Disneyland- behind these walls, in fact!

That apparently is a no-no and will be avoided when the full plans for this section of the park are announced.

What We Know About Marvel Land at Disneyland

Until they do tell us what it’s called, this is as good a name to use as any!

This Marvel expansion is not slated to open until sometime in 2020 and will likely roll out in stages. Nothing official has been announced by Disneyland, but this poster gives a lot of ideas of what’s to come.

Rumors say a Spider-Man attraction and a Quin-Jet roller coaster are in the works, but nothing has been formally announced.

Until then: we’re just going to dream along with the Imagineers!

How All the Marvel Will Tie Together In Disney Parks Around the World

As with things Disney and Marvel, you can bet there is synergy.

If you are a fan of the comics or movies, you know this is one of the most fun parts of the stories: searching for the ways that everything interlinks and comes together to form one Universe.

Welp, this is going to extend to the Disney Parks Marvel presence around the world as well.

From Disney:

There was an idea. To bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. It was called the Avengers Initiative.

That original idea has now evolved into a brand-new global Avengers Initiative. One that brings us?the next generation of remarkable people?together. To find our power and become something more. To see if we can work alongside the Avengers so we may all become stronger together.

The Stark Expo in Hong Kong was to be a first step: A world exposition whose theme of ?A Better Tomorrow Today,? was meant to inspire and motivate through technological innovation. However, shortly after it opened, the Expo was attacked by the forces of Hydra. When even more powerful forces threatened the entire planet, the Avengers realized that the Earth needs more heroes.

So today, to better defend the planet, the Avengers are setting up new Headquarters and technology sharing exchanges around the globe to empower and inspire all potential recruits willing to step up and become heroes.

In California and Paris, Tony Stark is retrofitting two of his father?s Stark Industries sites into new hubs for training and innovation. Through partnerships with S.H.I.E.L.D., Pym Technologies, Masters of the Mystic Arts and the new Worldwide Engineering Brigade, The Avengers and their allies will forge new global campuses to champion the next generation of heroes. Who?s ready to answer the call?

Patty Holliday

If she isn’t chasing her four kids around Northern Virginia, Patty is chasing four bars on her phone to share her authentic and fun stories on social media and her blog, My No-Guilt Life. She’s also one half of the Marvel Moms, an online community for discussing the Marvel fandom. You can catch up on her runDisney fun at No-Guilt Disney.